The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a composite, foam/fabric material for use as protective material in products such as shin guards, helmets, baseball chest protectors, bicycle seats, chairs, shoulder pads, carry bag straps, sports bras, etc. The invention is directed to providing a foam/fabric construction which may be used as a liner, and consists of a fabric top and bottom between which is sandwiched foam material, such as a plurality of discrete foam elements, which may themselves be formed as composites of different types of foams. The foam material may consist of a single material such as EVA, polyethylene (PE), polyurethane or polyvinyl, amongst others, or alternatively, the foam elements may be composites of EVA, PE, etc. The foam elements may be cylindrical in form, hexagonal, square, or other desired shapes. This material can be used, as mentioned above, for shin guards, and even components of sports equipment. The method and apparatus enables a foam sheet to be cut into foam elements which are then deposited and pressed onto a heated substrate, such as a fabric, to provide foam/fabric bonding. An upper fabric sheet may be then be adhered to the other side of the foam elements, with the resulting composite foam/fabric thereby forming a material for use in a multitude of applications, as mentioned above.
The method of the present invention utilizes an apparatus which includes a punch press with a plurality of horizontally aligned, elongate punches, which may be arranged in rows, and correspondingly aligned dies on a die plate for receiving the punches therethrough. The system may process a sheet of foam material that is sliced by the punches and dies into a plurality of discrete foam elements which are transferred to and pressed onto the heated fabric substrate, and partially melted to be retained thereon by heat bonding. The advantages of the present technology will be understood more readily after consideration of the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.